ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the strategic management considerations, drivers and challenges experienced when integrating and developing an approach to sustainable real estate in the UK retail market.
Approaches to sustainable property are changing globally and there is a growing body of research in relation to responses within the office sector, but little from the perspective of retailers. This chapter begins to address this lacuna by first reviewing the existing academic and professional literature on the drivers and barriers to progress in promoting sustainable real estate in retailing. The research then considers perspectives of relevant actors in the real estate market including prime retail occupiers, commercial agents and landlords, drawing on evidence collated from an initial scoping study, based on short, structured questionnaires. The research reflects on the extent to which sustainability is influencing decision making for retailers currently and the anticipated effects for real estate management moving into the future, across a spectrum of issues; from consideration of the general effects of legislation and sector specific changes, such as changing consumer awareness and demand, and online retailing.
